Ten individuals are facing potential imprisonment for up to two years each following allegations of engaging in sexist cyberbullying against French first lady Brigitte Macron. Seven of the accused, described as ‘trolls’, appeared in court today, charged with harassing Ms. Macron to the extent that it significantly impacted her physical and mental well-being.
The defendants, consisting of one woman and six men, are accused of spreading false claims about the 72-year-old first lady, including allegations that she was originally male and insinuations of being a child abuser towards her husband, President Emmanuel Macron. If found guilty of cyberbullying Ms. Macron, all individuals could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in prison.
While ten people have been charged in connection with this case, three did not attend the commencement of their trial at the Paris Correctional Court on Monday. Notably, one of the individuals present at the trial was Amandine Roy, a clairvoyant also known as Delphine Jegousse, who allegedly made defamatory statements about Ms. Macron in a lengthy YouTube video last December.
During the ongoing criminal trial, Roy, along with the other defendants, is accused of online harassment that reportedly caused severe harm to Brigitte Macron’s well-being. Despite the denials of wrongdoing by all defendants, the focus of the trial is on the numerous derogatory comments made about Ms. Macron’s gender, sexuality, and the age gap between her and her spouse.
Brigitte Macron did not personally attend the court proceedings but was represented by her legal counsel, Jean Ennochi. The defense for the accused individuals argues that their freedom of speech rights are being violated as they critique a prominent figure in the Parisian political scene. The prosecution is also targeting Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, known online as ‘Zoe Sagan’, with his defense team asserting that the trial is politically motivated and infringing on freedom of expression.
The marriage between the Macrons has been a subject of controversy due to its unconventional origins. The couple’s relationship began when Emmanuel Macron, then a schoolboy, developed feelings for his drama teacher, Brigitte Auzière. Despite facing societal criticism, the couple eventually married in 2007.